1. higher in rank, status, or authority
Usage: formal

1. a person of higher rank or authority; a superior
Usage: formal
2. a general category that includes more specific subcategories
Usage: linguistics; psychology

1. to treat as less important; to subordinate
Usage: formal; rare

Examples

• The manager reported to her superordinate in the corporate hierarchy.
• Military officers must follow orders from superordinate commanders.
• In taxonomy, ‘animal’ is superordinate to ‘mammal’.
• The concept of ‘furniture’ is superordinate to ‘chair’ and ‘table’.
• She held a superordinate position in the organization.
• The general category serves as a superordinate for all subcategories.
• He refused to superordinate his principles to political expediency.